Cork-tapering machine.



No. 634,847. Patented oct. 22, 190|. l. T. MccREAnY.

CORK TAPERING MACHINE.

(Application lled July 2B, 1900.)

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l'me mams PETER No. 684,847. Patented Oct. 22, |901. I. T. McCREADY.

CORK TAPERING MACHINE.

(Application Bled July 28, 1900.)

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Patented Oct. 22, |901'.

I. T. MGCBEADY.

CORK TAPEBING MASHINE.

(Application led July 28, 1900.) l

6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

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Patented oct. 22, 190|. l. T. mccnEAnv.

CORK TAPEBING MAGHINE.

(Application led July 28, 1900.)

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:2mm l I Patented Det. 22, |90I.

6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

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CORK TAPERING MACHINE.

(Application filed July 28, 1900.)

(No Model.)

STATES IRA T. MCCREADY, OF OAKPARK, ILLINOIS.

CORK-'TAPERING `MACHINE.

ern-cinnamon forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,847, atea october 21a, 190i.

Application filed J'uly 28; 1900.

To all whom. t may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA T. MCCREADY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Oakpark, in the county of Cook, in the State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cork-Tapering Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in cork-tapering machines of familiar style, in which the corks are tapered by means of a rotary knife orcutting-disk, to which they are presented while suitably supported and slowly turned upon an axis slightly inclined to the plane of said disk, all as hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a front elevation of my improved machine with the front end of the feedtrough out ed; Fig. 2, an elevationof the right side of the machine. Fig. 2a is a detail of the pawl Y and locking-dog Z; Fig. 3, a middle vertical section 5, Fig. 4, a horizontal section below the cutting-disk; Fig. 5, acorresponding view with the rotary cork-holder removed; Fig. 6, asectional detailshowing the adjusting means at the inner end of the feedtrough; Fig. 6, a sectional detail of Fig. 6; Fig. 7, an enlarged detail elevation of the left side of the rotary cork-holder, showing the left-hand disk thereof and the radially-adjustable arms secured upon Vits outer face; Figs. 8 and 8, sectional details of one of the spring-pressed rods of the cork-holder; Fig. 9, a detail of the cam and movable arm cooperating with said rods, and Fig. 10 a sectional detail showing the clutch connection between the driving and driven spindles.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate indentical parts in the several views.

A represents the main frame of the machine, in a transverse bar B of which the vertical knife-supporting shaft C has its upper bearing, said shaft having secu red upon it beneath the bar H the usual rotary knife or cuttingdisk D, surrounded yby a guard E, secured upon the framework and supported at its lower end in a vertically-adjustable cup-bearing formed upon the upper end of a screw- Serial No. 25,101. (No model.)

rod F, Fig. 3, passed through a beam G, pivl oted at one end to one side of the framework A at a, Figs. 1, 4, and 5, and having its op'- posite end connected by a link H with the frontend of the horizontal arm of a bell-crank lever I, Figs. 2, 4, and 5, fulcrumed o'n the framework A and carrying at the upper end of its vertical arm an antifriction-roller bear'- ing against a cam-disk J, fastened upon one end of a rotary shaft K, driven at its op'po'- site end by beveled gears I., Figs. 3 and 5, from the driving-shaft M, the rocking o'f the bell-crank I by the rotation of the cam-disk J serving to elevate and depress the pivoted beam G, and thereby raise and lower the vertical shaft C and circular knife D, all as common in this class of machines. The screwrod F has fast upon its lower end a hand-wheel N, by which it maybe turned to vertically adjust the shaft C and knife D, and also has threaded upon it alock-n ut O, bearing against the under side of the beam G, by which the parts may be locked in adjusted position. The shaft C has fast upon its lower end apulley P, whose lower end is recessed to receive the cup bearing upon the upper end of the screw-rod F, Fig. 3, as usual, and around which pulley is passed the belt by which the shaft C is driven. A'stop-screw Q, having its lower end formed into a centering-point, is located in a bracket R, secured to the top of the framework, Figs. l, 2, and 3, immediately above the upper end of the shaft C, to limit the upward movement of the latter in event anything should tend to displace it vertically from normal position.

Secured upon supporting-brackets upon the forward side of the framework, Figs. l, 2, 3, 4, and 5, is the usual inclined and vertically and laterally adj ust-able plate S, upon which are mounted the rota'ry cork-holder and cooperating devices, the cork-holder being mounted to rotate upon an axis parallel with the longitudinal line of said plate and the inclination of the latter relatively to the horizontal plane of the rotary knife or cutting-disk D serving to present the corks to the knife at the proper angle to, cause the latter to taper them as desired.

The principal feature of my invention consists in the employment of a rotary corkholder, to which the corks are supplied by a IOG feed-trough and by which the corks are automatically taken from said trough and carried into position to be acted upon by the knife D and there rotated in contact with said knife while remaining in position in the cork-holder, and then after being tapered carried onward and discharged from the corkholder, the advantages of my invention in this respect over the hand-fed machines being that the entire operation of the machine, including the supplying of the corks to it, is rendered more nearly automatic and requires less care and attention on the part of the attendant and the speed of the operation materially increased and rendered less dangerous to the attendant.

Under the arrangement employed in the machine which I have in practical use and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings I employ an inclined feed-trough T, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, (see particularly Fig. 4,) of considerable length, which the attendant keeps supplied with corks and from which the corks are automatically taken by the rotary cork-holder and carried to the taperingknife and tapered and then discharged from the machine, as before stated. When the machine is used in this manner, therefore, the attendant has simply to keep the stationary feed-trough lled or partially filled with corks, and by employing suitable means for continually supplying the feed-trough with corks from a large receptacle for the latter the operation of the machine may be rendered entirely automatic and the services of an attendant to feed the machine be dispensed with.

The rotary cork-holder of my machine is, like the feed-wheel of prior machines, mounted upoua shaft U, Figs. 1, 2, and 4, journaled in bearings V, supported by the plate S and having fast upon its outer end a notched locking-disk W and ratchet X, the latter being engaged by an actuatingpawl Y, which is rigidly secured at its rear end to an arm Z, pivoted at its lower end to the side of the rotary cam-disk J, Fig. 2, with the result that the rotation of the latter will reciprocate the pawl Y and intermittently rotate the ratchet X and the shaft U, upon which the ratchetis secured, as usual in machines of this character. A spring-pressed locking-dog Z' is provided with a tooth (hidden by the pawl Y in Fig. 2) which intermittently engages the notches in the locking-disk YV to lock the shaft Uand parts carried by it in fixed position during the tapering of each cork. The pawl Y is provided upon its farther side, Fig. 2, with a cam-lug y, (see Fig. 2%) which coperates with a lug y' upon the near side of the arm or locking-dog Z', which latter is provided upon its under side with a locking-tooth adapted to coperate with a notch in the locking-disk W. This locking-tooth stands immediately behind and is hidden by the hook of pawl Y in Fig. 2. When said pawl moves forward to engage a new tooth on the ratchet esas/iv X, the lug y upon its farther side rides over the top cf the lug y' upon the locking-dog Z', leaving the latter in locking engagement with a notch in the disk XV; but at the backward movement of the pawl Y its lug will pass to the under side of the lug upon the lockingdog Z' and lift the latter out of engagement with the notch in the disk W, thereby leaving said disk and the ratchet X free to be turned rearward by the pawl Y. At the end of the backward movement of the parts the lug upon the pawl Y will pass from under the lug upon the locking-dog Z' and permit the dog to drop into engagement with the notch in the disk W', which has been brought beneath it by the backward movement of the parts, and thereby lock them in their new positions.

The rotary cork-holder secured upon and intermittently advanced by the shaft U may be next described. Fast upon the shaft U, immediately at the left of the bearing V of said shaft, Figs. l and 4:, is a circular disk A', (shown in side elevation in Fig. 2,) while fast upon the shaft near its left-hand end opposite the disk A' is a second disk B', similar to the disk A', an inside elevation of which is shown in Fig. S Vand an outside elevation of which is shown in Fig. 7. Secured to the outer face of the right-hand disk A' is a series of radial and radially-adjustable arms C', Fig. 2, in the present instance twelve in number, whose outer ends project beyond the pe-V riphery of the disk A' and have formed integral with them tubular bearings D', Figs. l, 4, and l0, for rotary spindles E', having clutch members F' G' fast upon their opposite ends. The members G' upon their right-hand ends are adapted to he engaged successively in the intermittent rotary motion o-f the shaft U and parts carried byit by a clutch member H', fast upon the 1eft-hand end of the rotary and longitudinally-movable driving-spindle I. This driving-spindle is not materially different in its general arrangement and mode of operation from a similar drivingspindle employed in the machines now in use, excepting that in the latter machines the clutch or toothed member H' upon its left-hand end is employed to directly engage and clutch one endi of the cork and carry it out of the recess inl the feedwheel and rotate it in contact with the tapeiingknife, whereas in my machine it is employed simply to drive the spindles E' as they are successively brought opposite to and engaged by it, the clutch members or burs F' upon the opposite ends of the spin-- dies E' being employed to directly engage and clutch the corks, as hereinafter described. The driving-spindle 1' being old per sein machines of this character, it will suffice to say of it that it is mounted to rotate and also to reciprocate longitudinally in suitable bearings formed upon the upper ends of vertical extensions from the bearings V V of the shaft U, Fig. l; that it has fast upon it a groovedV pulley J', over which passes a driving-belt` from a larger grooved pulley K', fast upon the shaft K, Figs. 2, 4, and 5, and that itis reciprocated longitudinally by means of a shifter L', engaging a grooved collar fast upon the shaft, Figs. l and 2, said shifter being carried by the front end of a long irregular arm or lever M', pivoted at its rear end to a bracket upon the framework at l), Figs. 4 and 5, and carrying a short distance from its rear end a roller N', traveling in a cam-groove in a disk O', fast upon the shaft K. The rotation of this cam in the operation of the machine serves to vibrate the lever M' and reciprocate the driving-spindle I' in proper time to cause the clutch member H to successively engage the clutch members G' upon the spindles E' as the latter are brought into line with the spindle I by the rotation of the shaft U and parts carried by it, the result being that t-he spindles E', carried by the rotary disk A', are successively engaged and driven by the spindle I' for the purpose hereinafter described. Fast upon the outer face of the opposite disk B', Fig. 7, is a series of radial and radiallyadjustable arms P', similar to the arms C' upon the right-hand disk A'. The outer ends of these arms P'project beyond the periphery of the disk Band are provided with integral outwardly-extending tubular bearings or guideways P", Figs. 8 and Se', to receive reciprocating rods Q'. Each of these bearings P" is formed of two external diameters, the larger portion of the bearing being adjacent the arm. P', and ove'rl this larger portion tits a sliding sleeve R', provided at its outer or left-hand end with an inturned ange against which presses a coiled spring S', surrounding the smaller portion of the bearing and confined thereon bya nut mountedv upon its outer end. The rod Q' and sleeve R' are rigidly connnected by a pin T', passed through the sleeve and rod and through a transverse slot T", formed in the larger portion of the bearing P". This pin T' is formed by the reduced outer end of a slotted plate T3, whose slot ts over a projecting guide-lug T4 upon the arm P'. It results from this construction that the spring S' presses thesleeve R' and rod Q' and plate Ts inward or toward the right and yieldingly holds them in the position shown in Fig. S and that whenever the rod Q' is forced outward or to the left it will carry the sleeve R' and plate T3 with it, the pin T' traveling in the slot T" and compressing the spring S'.

Secured upon the inner or right-hand ends of the rods Q', by means of set-screws c, are heads or hubs U', provided upon their sides with radial extensions or arms V', to which are rotatably secured by means of screws d the individual cork-holders W', whose inner or right-hand ends are cupped or recessed so as to present a thin circular edge to the end of the cork. The cupped holders W' are adjusted to stand in exact line with the spindles E', carried by the opposite disk A', and the corks are clutched between the cupped ends of said holders and the clutch members F' upon the ends of the spindles E' and carried by them to and rotated in contact with the tapering-knife D,as hereinafter described.

The heads U', carried by the spring-pressed rods Q', cooperate with a stationary cam X', Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, and 9. As shown in Fig. 3, this cam is carried by a fixed support secured to the upper side of the frame-plate S and extends in approximately a semicrcle around the lower half of the disk B'. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the outer or left-hand face of its rear end is beveled off or inclined, so that the cam-surface thus formed stands in the path of travel of the heads U' upon the springpressed rods Q', carrying the cupped corkholders W'. The result is that as these heads U' come into contact with the fixed cam-surface as they move downward and forward around the under side of the disk B' they will be forced to the left against the resistance of the springs T' and held in that position as they travel forward over the straight surface of the cam X' to the forward end of the latter, whereupon as they clear the forward end of the cam the springs T' press them to the right again. Instead, however, of simply permitt-ing the heads U' to slip off the forward end of the cam X' and the springs T' to thereupon force them to the right I cut away the outer side of the upper forward end of the cam X', so as to form a notch or recess in which fits the upper forward end of an arm Y', Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 9, secured at its lower rear end to one end of a rock-shaft mounted in suitable bearings and having secured upon its opposite end a rearwardly-extending arm A", pressed upward by a spring B" and adapted to be depressed against the resistance of such spring by the front end of a lever C", whose rear end cooperates with a cam D", fast upon the shaft K, Figs. 3 and 5. As shown in-Figs. 1, 5, and 9, the upper forward end of the arm Y' is of such thickness as to exactly t the notch or recess in the outer surface of the cam X', so that the outer surface of the end of the arm Y' forms a smooth continuation of the outer surface of the cam, with the result that the heads U', traveling upward and forward along the outer face of the cam X', will pass freely onto the outer side of the arm Y', fitting in said recess, as shown in Fig. 9. If now the end of the arm Y' be swung upward and rearward and thereby withdrawn from the recess in the cam, the head U' and the rod Q', which carries it, will be at once forced to the right by the spring T' acting upon such rod. By properly timing the action of the cam D" upon the arm Y' through the medium of the lever C" and arm A", therefore, the upper forward end of the arm Y' may be Withdrawn from engagement with the head U' of the spring-pressed rod while the rotary disk B', carrying the rods, is at rest and at the exact moment desired, which could not be so readily accomplished in the IOO` IIO

IZO

absence of the arm Y and by simply permitting the heads U to slip off the forward end of the cam X and then be forced to the right by their spring.

The corks are delivered from the feedtrough T into position to be successively engaged between the toothed heads or clutch members F' upon the ends of the spindles E and the opposing cupped holders W and then carried upward and rearward to the tapering-knife. From the lower rear end of the feed-trough T the rearmost cork in the row in said trough drops upon an inclined plate E, Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, provided at its rear end with a vertical extension or projection e to limit the rearward movement of the cork. In this position upon the plate E" the cork will lie in true axial line with the foremost cupped holder W' ofthe disk B and the opposite and cooperating spindle carried by the disk A', and while the parts are in this position the arm Y is withdrawn from the path of the head U of such cupped holder and the latter forced to the right by its spring and the cork firmly clutched between it and the spindle. As the parts are then turned rearward one step the cork engaged by such clutch devices will be carried upward away from the plate E" and end of the trough T and the next succeeding cork will take its lace. The next succeeding cupped holder W' will be brought opposite such newly-positioned cork, the arm Y will be again withdrawn from the path of its head U' by the action of the cam D", and the cork will be clutched between the cupped holder and the opposite spindle ready to be carried upward and rearward toward the knife at the next step in the movement of the parts, and so on continuously. In this manner and by these means corks are automatically taken up by the rotary cork-holder as delivered to it by the feed-trough and carried thence upward and rearward to the tapering-knife. As each cork reaches vertical position above the shaft U the clutch devices by which it is held will be brought into line with the drivin g-spindle I', and by the action of the cam Oupon the shifter for said driving-spindle the latter will be slid to the left into clutch engagement with the rotary spindle, by which the cork is clutched, and the latter spindle and the cork will thereupon be slowly rotated by the driving-spindle, while the rotating taperingknife D is lowered into contact with the cork by the operation of the cam .I and parts intermediate said cam and the pivoted beam G, upon which the vertical shaft O and knife D are supported, as usual. After the cork has been properly tapered by rotation in contact with the edge of the knife D the latter will rise, the driving-spindle I will be retracted, and the parts advanced another step to bring the next succeeding cork into position to be tapered. As the heads U of the individual cork-holders pass downward upon the rear esaeat side of the disks A B and ride over the inclined surface of the cam X they are forced to the left, thereby retracting the individual cupped holders XV and releasing the tapered corks carried between them and the opposing spindles E, whereupon said corks drop into a suitable receptacle placed to receive them,

For the purpose of accurately positioning the corks upon the. inclined plate E at the delivery end o'f the feed-trough T, so as to insure their exact alinemcnt with the axes of the spindles E and opposing cupped holders W, I provide the finger F, rigidly but adjustably secured to the upper end of a bent lever G", Figs. 2 and 3, to whose lower rear end is connected a coiled spring II, tending to vibrate the lever and throw the finger F" rearward and downward. The lever and finger are held in normal position against the stress of the spring I'I" by the forward end of a lever I", whose rear end is engaged by the lower forward end of a third lever J, Figs. 2 and 5, which carries at its upper rear end a roller I resting upon a cam L, fast upon the shaft K. \Vhen the position of the cam L permits, the spring II will vibrate the lever Gf and throw the linger F" rearward and downward into contact with the rearmost cork resting upon the plate E, thereby accurately positioning said cork upon said plate and against its vertical extension or projection e for engagement by the clutch devices of the rotary holder, which is to take it up and carry it rearward to the tapering-knife.

The feed-trough T is supported and vertically adjustable upon the forward side of a supporting-bracket M, Figs. 2 and 3, and for the purpose of accurately setting the plate E for the reception and proper positioning of the corks it is made both vertically and transversely adjustable, to which end, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, said plate is mounted in guideways upon a bracket N, vertically adjustable upon the main supporting-bracket IWI by means of a screw-rod O" and itself adjustable in the bracket N by means of a second screw-rod P", Figs. 6 and 6% As shown in Fig. 4t, the sides of the feedtrough T are laterally adjustable to accommodate corks of different widths, for which purpose the disks A B are likewise adjustable relatively to each other upon the shaft U. As will be understood from the foregoing description, the novel rotary cork-holder of my machine, consisting of the opposing disks A B and cooperating parts carried by them, operates to automatically take up the corks delivered to it from the feed-trough T and carry them into position to be operated upon bythe tapering-knife, in which position .they are rotated in contact with said knife by the driving-spindle and then are carried on rearward and downward and discharged from theholders. As soon as one cork is tapered the next IOO IIO

sition to be acted upon, and such operation kept up continuously without any idle or lost operation of the parts due to failure to supply the machine With corks.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claiml. In a cork-tapering machine, the combination with a tapering-knife, of a cork-holder adapted to carry a cork into proximity to said tapering-knife and colnprising a spindle, and a cooperating movable cork-holding device, means acting constantly to move the same to grasp the cork, means :for moving the corkholding device to release the cork, a movable part adapted in one position to prevent the movement of the cork-holding device to grasp the cork, means for operating said movable part to permit the movement of the corkholding device, and means for rotating the spindle when in proper position adjacent the tapering-knife substantially as described.

2. In a cork-tapering machine, the combination with a tapering-knife, of a cork-holder adapted to carry a cork into proximity to said tapering-knife, and comprisingaspindle, and a coperating movable cork-holding device, a spring acting constantly to move the corkholding device toward the spindle to grasp the cork, means for moving the cork-holding device away from the spindle, a vibrating arm adapted in one position to prevent the movement of the cork-holding device toward the spindle, means for vibrating said arm to permit the movement of the cork-holding device toward the spindle, and means for rotating the spindle when in proper position adjacent the tapering-knife, substantially as described.

3. In a cork-tapering machine, a cork holding and releasing mechanism comprising a spindle, a movable cork-holding device cooperating therewith, a spring acting to move said cork-holding device to grasp a cork, means for moving the cork-holding device to release the cork, a movable part adapted in one position to prevent the movement of the cork-holding device to grasp the cork, and means for` operating said movable part to permit the movement of the cork-holding device, substantially as described.

4. In a cork-tapering machine, the combination with a tapering-knife, of a cork-holder adapted to carry the corks into proximity to said knife, and comprising a rotary spindle, and a cooperating movable cork-holding device, a spring acting to move the same to grasp the cork, means for moving the corkholding device against the action of said spring, a movable device adapted in one position to prevent the movement of said corkholding device by said spring, means for operating said movable device to permit the movement of the cork-holding device by said spring, and means for rotating the spindle when in proper position adjacent the tapering-knife, substantially as described.

5. In a cork-tapering machine, the combination with a rotary tapering-knife, of a corkholder adapted to carry the corks into proximity to said knife and comprising a rotary spindle, and a cooperating spring-pressed cork-holding device, a cam X' cooperating With the cork-holding device, a vibrating arm Y' forming a continuation of the cam X', means for operating the said arm Y', and means for rotating the spindle when in proper position adjacent the tapering-knife, substantially as described.

6. In a cork-tapering machine, the combination, with the rotary tapering-knife D, of the rotary cork-holder adapted to carry the corks into position to be acted upon by said knife, said cork-holder being composed of Vthe opposing disks A' B' secured uponthe intermittently-rotating shaft U, the rotary spindles E' mounted in the bearings D' upon the disk A' and provided at their inner ends with the clutch members F' and at their outer ends with the clutch members G', the springpressed rods Q' mounted upon the disk B', and the heads or hubs U' secured upon the inner ends of said rods and provided with the'projecting arms V' carrying the cupped holders WV', the cam X cooperating With the heads'U' carried by the rods Q', the vibrating arm Y' forming a continuation of the cam X and cooperating with the heads U', means for operating said arm Y', and the driving-spindle I' and means for engaging its clutch member I'I'successively with the clutch members ofthe spindles E as the latter are brought by the rotation of the cork-holder into position for the respective corks to be acted upon by the tapering-knife,substantially as described.

7. Ina cork-tapering machine the rotary cork-holder comprising the opposing disks A' B' secured upon the shaft U, the radial arms C' secured upon the disk A' and having the laterallyextended bearings D', the spindles E' mounted in said bearings and provided upon their opposite ends with the clutch members F' G', the radial arms P' secured upon the opposite disk B', the spring-pressed sliding rods Q' mounted in the outer ends of said arms P' and heldv from turning therein, the heads or hubs U' secured upon the inner ends of the rods Q' and having the projecting arms V', and the cupped holder W' secured to the arms V', substantially as described. p

8. In a cork-tapering machine, the combination, with the tapering-knife D, of the feedtrough T through which the supply of corks is delivered to the machine, the receiving plate E" having the projection e, located beneath the delivery end of the trough T and adapted to receive the corks from said trough, means for adjusting the receiving-plate to accommodate corks of different diameter, the reciprocating finger F" for positioning the corks upon the plate E", means for supporting and operating said finger, the rotary corkholder located intermediate the plate E" and tapering-knife D and operating to take up ICO IIS

the ,corks from said plate and carry them to the knife, and means for individually rotating the corks in contact with said knife While carried by the holder, substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a holding member, and an opposing spring-pressed holder, of operating means therefor comprising a cam having a reduced portion in one face thereof, a vibrating arm having a part lying in said reduced portion, and means for vibrating the arm, substantially as and for the purpose described.

lO. In a machine ofthe class described, the combination of a disk, radial arms P thereou having bearings at their outerends, springpressed rods Working in said bearings, arms carried by said spring-pressed rods, holders on said arms, pins T3 scoured to said rods and having slots in which work projections on said radial arms, substantially as described.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a feed-trough, and a oorkcarrier, of a receiving-plate for the corks between the trough and the carrier, a bracket on which said plato is movably mounted, means for moving and holding said plate in adjusted positions, and meansfor moving and holding said bracket in adjusted positions.

l2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a feed-trough, and a corkcarrier, of a receiving-plate for the corks between the trough and the carrier, a bracket on the top of which said receiving-plate is slidably mounted, a screw carried by the bracket for moving and holding said receiving-plate, a part on which said bracket is Vertically slidable, and means for moving and holding said bracket in adjusted positions.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a feed-trough, and a corkcarrier, of a receiving-plate for the corks between the trough and the carrier, a bracket on which said plate is movably mounted, means for moving and holding said plate in adjusted positions, means for moving and holding said bracket in adjusted positions, a reeiprocating iinger for holding corks on said receiving-plate, and operating means for said finger, with which the same is adjustably connected.

IRA T. MCCREADY. lVitn esses:

P. D. CASTLE, Il. M. GARDNER. 

